1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pouch which contains a liquid that is dispensed through a nonwoven wall of the pouch. In particular, the invention concerns such a pouch that permits the liquid to be dispensed repeatedly at controlled rates when the outside of the pouch is wet, but retains the liquid within the pouch when the outside of the pouch is dry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soap-impregnated scouring pads of metallic or polymeric fibrous materials are well known and have been used widely in many households. Sullivan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,237 discloses a specific scouring pad which comprises an abrasive outer layer, an inner layer of perforated-film and a reservoir of soap absorbed in a heat-weldable liquid-absorbing material. The size of the perforations in the film and the soap viscosity are selected to give a controlled release of soap.McClain, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,758, discloses pouch comprising a solid detergent cake surrounded by a single layer of nonwoven material. The art also discloses pouches which contain laundry detergents or fabric softeners. Usually the laundry-detergent pouch is a single-use pouch from which detergent is released into a home-laundry washer by dissolution of the detergent in the laundry water. The fabric-softener, which may be in a multi-use pouch usually is activated in a home-laundry dryer by heat or by moisture from just-washed laundry.
Although the above-described types of devices have found considerable use, a simple device that could be used repeatedly and could dispense liquid in about equal amounts each use, would be particularly useful for soaps and the like. An aim of the present invention is to provide such a liquid-dispensing pouch.